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Cook becomes the meat in the sandwich

By Ian Lowe examines the aftermath of the latest Cabinet reshuffle

THE SHOCK waves are still reverberating from the resignation of Alan Griffiths.
Formerly responsible for the Australian government’s industry and technology
policy, Griffiths stood down after allegations that Labor Party funds were
used to subsidise a suburban sandwich shop in which he had an interest.
Griffiths denies the charge and has started legal proceedings against his
antagonist. Federal police are investigating the affair.

In the meantime, Peter Cook, the trade minister, has been named to take over
from Griffiths. A one-time union official, Cook has some industry experience,
but there’s precious little evidence of an interest in science.

Griffiths was heavily involved in the development of the much-awaited industry
statement, due to be released in April. While the government is saying the
timetable will not be affected by the comings and goings in the ministerial
office, that seems unlikely. Cook has already signalled that he wants to make
his mark.

A mess left behind by Griffiths is the fiasco of funding for CSIRO. Some 18
months ago the organisation was promised a rolling triennial budget to allow
future planning. That is crucial if the CSIRO is to absorb the massive cuts
proposed in forward estimates. Budget reductions as large as A&dollar;50
million have been canvassed. Such drastic surgery would require detailed
forward planning.

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But the new funding procedure has never happened. Several times the government
has promised an announcement, but each time it has failed to meet the
timetable. Having stalled since the Budget last August, Canberra is now saying
CSIRO funding for next year will be part of…you’ve guessed it…the industry
statement. At best it will come out just before the next Budget. All this
makes a nonsense of the government’s professed concern for long-term planning.
It is hardly the way to treat the country’s main science body.

CSIRO is understandably nervous. Even though science minister Chris Schacht
has been spending lengthy periods in CSIRO labs, there is still a feeling in
the organisation that the government just does not understand the value of
investing in strategic research. Peter Cook has plenty to think about in his
new office.

I’M TOLD that CSIRO heavies favoured the former science minister Simon Crean
stepping into Griffiths’ shoes. He was certainly under consideration. Others
in the scientific community would have welcomed the move too. But I hear the
possibility caused panic in the education area. Crean only took over the
portfolio in the last reshuffle, late in 1994. The bureaucrats have just
finished briefing him on the fine points of education policy. They were not at
all amused with the idea of starting again on another new minister.

GENE LIKENS, winner of the 1994 Australia Prize for science and technology, has
often been in conflict with powerful interest groups on all sides of the
environmental debate. Likens, director of the Institute of Ecosystem Studies
at Millbrook in New York, was unpopular with the Reagan administration when he
showed that acid rain was harming forests. Logging interests did not
appreciate his studies which showed that clear-felling causes fundamental
changes to the soil. The practice leads to loss of soil fertility and
pollution of streams.

But Likens also came into conflict with environmental groups when he showed
that forests can be harvested sustainably without depleting nutrients. It
requires careful planning and a thorough understanding of nutrient cycles, but
it can be done. “The whole ecosystem must be considered, not just the trees”,
he said.

Chris Schacht singled out this contribution in announcing the award of the
quarter million dollar prize to Likens. “His research has been influential in
demonstrating the strong links between a healthy environment and a healthy
economy”, Schacht said.

Likens has also debunked the idea of natural systems being in balance. His
research shows that forests change continuously at all levels. Soils,
microbial content, the balance of plant species and the distribution of fauna
are changing all the time, even in an isolated system. The impact of outside
forces is a further complication. Likens has urged us to think of a natural
flux, rather than a natural balance.

He will come to Australia in April to receive his prize. The visit will focus
attention on local forest management. Some states still allow clear-felling
and other unsustainable practices. And the Federal government has real
political problems in this area. Tasmanian senator John Devereux is likely to
leave the Labor Party in protest against its failure to protect forests and
run as a Green candidate. This will make the government much more vulnerable
in the Senate.

ANOTHER vexing problem facing the Government is, of all things, flea collars.
It’s a product that must be toxic to do its job. But at the same time, the
collars could easily come within reach of young children. Keeping young kids
away from the family pet – flea collar or not – is like trying to beat Steffi Graf.
It’s not easy.

The collars use organophosphates, mostly listed as schedule 5 or schedule 6
poisons. These compounds are readily absorbed through the skin. I hear that
the mail is running hot to the Prime Minister’s Office demanding that
something be done to solve the problem. Whoever can do it deserves a pat on
the back.